An upcoming fighting game from NetherRealm Mortal Kombat 1 will include audio narration for Fatality in the game.
Gory finishes are a major part of the franchise’s identity, and the narrative will be especially helpful for visually impaired players. The feature was revealed during the game’s recent online beta with a series of videos (eg here is this one), showing how descriptive a story can be.
As the accessibility consultant pointed out Steve Saylor, Mortal Kombat 1 is the first fighting game to feature audio descriptions for on-screen gameplay. At the time of writing, it’s unclear if this story only applies to Fatality (which only occurs at the end of a match) or the entire game.
Accessibility goes both ways
Over the years, different games have implemented different tools to offer players more accessible options. In the case of fighting games like the recent ones street fighter 6, this is usually related to the controls and making it easier for players to create character combinations.
For the entire fighting genre, the word “accessibility” has two different meanings. It’s just as important to accommodate players with disabilities as it is for those who can play fighting games for the first time.
On the latter front, titles such as the above Street fighter 6 and such old games Mortal Kombat 11 there are tutorial and story modes to help beginners get used to the whole genre.
A full range of special features for Mortal Kombat 1 have not been discovered at the time of writing. But his narrative highlights areas where fighting games can continue to be accessible to players from all walks of life.